Muted Magic oneshot
by Storychan
Summary: A little oneshot prequel to The Quest of Death by Shizuka Nezumi. Serves to give a background to the creepy twins Morgyn and Mynos before they met Eva, the Death Princess. EDIT: Just to be clear, this is an origin story for an OC in my friend's PJatO fic.


Muted Magic (OC introductory oneshot)

The sign said "Magic". Morgyn took Mynos' hand, staring up at it. She'd tried to explain to him the difference between Father's magic and Mother's magic, between their mortality and their immortality.

Yet Mynos was hopeful. He continued to believe that if he stood under the blinding spotlight of Father's show long enough, the bunnies would start coming out of hats where they hadn't been hidden an hour earlier by Morgyn, who had become Father's unflappable assistant. Mynos thought magic was magic, and that was that. Morgyn knew better.

She knew that Father didn't really saw people in half or levitate playing cards off the stage where she now sat. Those were tricks. Magic was real, though. Mother did _real_ magic. Their mother, Hecate, the witchcraft goddess, could command the dead and summon _empousai_, the spirits Mynos called "pretty donkey-vampire ladies".

The pretty donkey-vampire women weren't here now. It was just Morgyn and Mynos, waiting patiently for another show to begin. The show Father's sign called "Magic".

"Time to get ready, Mynky," Morgyn said, sighing. "Let's go get our makeup on so Father can tell us what tricks we're doing tonight."

Father came in at that moment. "Ready for another show, kids? Morgyn, help your brother with his costume. We've got a packed house tonight!" he beamed.

"Yes, sir," Morgyn intoned, and fished out the velvet jester confection that Mynos wore on the stage. She'd put on her own mysterious cape and wizard hat (Made in China) later, when Mynos was ready. "Arms up, Mynos, or these puffy sleeves won't go on your big head," Morgyn said, almost smiling at Mynos' exaggerated pout.

"M'head is widdle, Morgyn!" Mynos complained. "You da one wi' da big head. 'Cause you're smart n' stuff."

Mynos thought Morgyn knew everything. He was wrong. Morgyn was just responsible. Instead of asking Father perpetual questions about what to do or where to stand on the stage, she just kept trying things. The audience never noticed if she messed up, anyways. It was all about the "show", and the show must go on.

"You ready, Mynky?" Morgyn asked a few hours later. "All the people are here to see us."

"Is it 'cause we're special?" Mynos asked. "Do all the people come to see us because we're special?"

"We are special," Morgyn told him, taking his hand as they prepared to go onstage. "But not for the reasons they think."

The curtain opened, and Morgyn led Mynos onto the stage, and said her one line: "We introduce The Master of Magic, Mr. Magnus the Magnificent!"

Then she let her father take over, handing him playing cards and such when he asked for them.

Mostly, she just sat with Mynos and stared into the eyes of the crowd.

The crowd didn't want to see Morgyn cry about always doing shows and not being in school. They didn't want to see her smile because her father was a famous illusionist. They wanted her to play a part, to just be the adorable little assistant to her dad, Magnus the Magnificent. Morgyn could play that part. She could play it quite well.

Somewhere in the million assistances to Father's show, somewhere in the eyes of the audience, Morgyn's real smiles and real tears disappeared. What staid was the acting, the parts she played.

Adorable Assistant. Supportive Sister. Dutiful Daughter.

Morgyn didn't mind playing the parts. In all three, she was helpful either to Father or to Mynos. All Morgyn wanted was to help out. If her emotionless eyes helped people believe she was OK, so be it. All Morgyn wanted to do was help.

During one show, even though she helped, the tiger Father was supposed to be doing a trick with didn't do OK. It hurt Father, and no magic could staunch the blood where the tiger had bitten him. The tiger didn't play any parts. The tiger was just a tiger, doing tiger things. Like attacking.

When Mother had shockingly showed up and taken Mynos and herself to Hades, Morgyn had been worried. Demigods never got to stay with their godly parents. Living demigods never got to live in Hades.

Yet Mother not only lived in Hades, she thrived. Morgyn thought she and Mynos could thrive there too, if they were allowed. She understood when Lord Hades had said there would be a price for staying with Mother. If Mother hadn't sent Mynos and herself to be servants to Lord Hades' daughter, Eva, and if Morgyn had not agreed to it, they would not have been allowed to stay.

Morgyn wanted to stay with Mother, in this land of real magic. She wasn't scared of _empousai _or ghosts, who feared her mother. She would happily play the part of servant to the Princess Evangeline of Erebus.

It was just another part to play, and not even a bad one. The day Morgyn took Mynos to meet their new mistress though, she decided to be another thing.

This one wasn't a part. It wasn't fake. It was what Princess Eva had requested.

"_If you __**have **__to be my servant, Flim, will you be my friend, too?"_

She would be. It was the only thing she'd ever acted as that never felt like an act.


End file.
